The Great Wall of China is famous as the world’s longest fortification. I recently encountered a thought that I hadn’t heard before: the great wall runs through much rugged domain and in these areas the Wall is the main source of communication. In these areas the structure is not just the great wall, but the great road as well.

It is often, erroneously, claimed by propagandists that the Great Wall is the only human structure visible from space. But any visitor will note that the Wall isn’t much wider or longer than an interstate highway. The comparison seems to be more apt than I’d originally appreciated.

The more things change: just as our highways often act as walls separating the communities on either side of them, it appears that walls can work as roads as well.